Container



y 1951 w. LA v. COLLINS 2,562,261

CONTAINER Filed Feb. 12, 1949 I INVENTQR. -15 Wz'ZZzam [Q Ver/z Cola/2a MM W W Patented July 31, 1951 comma William In Vern Collins, Marlon, ma, assignor' to Morris Paper Mills, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application February 12, 1949, Serial No. 76,148 Claims. (Cl. 229-16) This invention relates to paperboard containers and is particularly concerned with improvements in the construction of overlapp closure flaps which are adapted to be releasably fastened together.

The general object of the invention is to provide an interlocking closure flap of new and improved construction which is inexpensive to form, which is easy to fasten or unfasten and which will hold securely upon being fastened.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide in a paperboard container a pair of oppositely disposed flaps having generally tapering end portions which are adapted to be overlapped to close one face of the container and which are characterized by laterally opening com lementary notches spaced inwardly of their extremities and adapted to interflt laterally with each other to lock the flaps against separation in a direction generally at right angles to the notches and further characterized by cut-out tongue portions facing generally in the direction of the notches which are adapted to be Sprung over the unnotched sides of the flaps to lock the flaps against separation in the lateral direction.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the container which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container having incorporated therein overlapping flaps which are constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig.2isaplanviewonareducedscaleofa blank from which the container is formed; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of an end portion of one of the improved flaps.

While this invention is applicable to any kind of paperboard container or carton in which overlapping flaps are adapted to be releasably fastened together, it has been found to be of particular value in containers of the type known in the trade as folders. It is illustrated in the drawings incorporated in this type of container and will be hereinafter referred to in that connection.

The illustrated container or folder is conveniently formed from a single sheet of paperboard material (Fig. 2) which is cut and creased to provide a bottom forming panel Ill, side or end The flap forming extensions 13 are identical and each is provided with an end portion of generally triangular shape having converging generally tapering side edges I 5 and I6. One side edge I5 is broken by a laterally outwardly open ing generally V-shaped notch or slot II. The notch I1 is spaced inwardly from the extremity of the edge 1-5 and is characterized by a curved outer edge l8 which cooperates with the end portion of the unbroken edge 16 to define a bulbouslike tab formation IS. The notch I1 is further characterized by a substantially straight edge 20 extending in a direction laterally of the flap l3 and provided with an inwardly extending L- shaped cut 2| which provides a locking tongue 22. The tongue 22 is spaced a sufficient distance from the. inner extremity 23 of the notch II to accommodate the end tab formation I 9 of the opposite flap is when the folder is formed into 10 articles enclosing condition and the opposed pairs wall panels ll extending from the four sides of the bottom panel l0 and being separated therefrom by crease lines l2, and closure flap forming panels l3 extending from the four side wall panels H am: being separated therefrom by crease lines I of flaps are movedinto overlapping closure forming relation.

In erecting the container the side wall panels II are folded on the crease lines I2 into upstanding relation with the bottom It! and the flap forming extensions 13 are folded inwardly in opposed paired relation on the fold lines I to bring one pair of flaps l3 outwardly of and in overlapping relation to the other pair of flaps. The flaps of each pair are folded towards each other in slightly offset relation to permit the end tab formations l9 to pass each other and to allow the flaps to interengage in the notches II with the end portions of the tab formations l9 either on the inside of the flaps l3 (as shown) or on the outside of the same. In this relation the flaps are held interlocked against movement in the direction at right angles to the notches II. The cut-out tongues 22 are then forced over the uncut edges l6 of the flaps to interlock the flaps in the lateral direction and to positively prevent their separation or disengagement.

with the flaps formed and interengaged as illustrated the folder is retained in closed condition with the overlapping flaps interlocked and securely fastened together.

While specific details of construction have been referred to in describing the illustrated form of the invention, it will be appreciated that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a cardboard carton. a pair of oppositely disposed flaps having generally tapering portions which are adapted to be overlapped over one face of the carton, said flaps being characterized inwardly of their extremities by laterally opening complementary notches which are adapted to inter-fit laterally with each other to c]: the flaps against separation in a direction generally at right angles to the notches, and said flaps being further characterized in their notched sides by cut-out tongue portions facing generally in the direction of the notches, which tongue portions are adapted to be sprung over the unnotched sides of the flaps to lock the flaps against separation in the last mentioned direction.

2. In a cardboard carton, a pair of oppositely disposed flaps having generally tapering portions which are adapted to be overlapped over one face of the carton, said flaps having generally V- shaped complementary notches inwardly spaced from their extremities and opening in a'lateral direction which are adapted to inter-fit laterally with each other to lock the flaps against separation in a directionigenerally at right angles to the notches, and said flaps having cut-out tongue portions in the inner edges of said notches, which tongue portions are adapted to be sprung over the unnotched sides of the fiapsto lock the flaps against separation in the lateral direction.

3. A container formed from a paperboard blank which is cut and scored to provide a bottom forming panel, side wall forming panels and closure flap forming end extensions on the side wall panels, said closure flaps each having a generally triangular end portion adapted to overlap with the corresponding end portion of the opposed flap when in closure forming position, one side edge of each triangular end portion having a generally V-shaped laterally opening slot whereby opposed flaps may be interlockingly engaged against movement in one direction and a locking tongue formation in said one side edge for engaging over the opposite side edge of the opposed flap whereby the flaps may be locked against movement in a direction at right angles to the first mentioned direction.

4. In a paperboard container characterized by a pair 01' oppositely disposed flaps which are adapted to be folded with their end portions in overlapping relation to provide a closure for the container, said end portions being defined by side edges which converge toward each other and terminate in a bulbous end tab formation. said end portions having opposed side edges slotted adjacent the bulbous tab formations whereby said flaps may be interengaged toprevent movement away from each other in one direction and said end portions having said oppoud side edges each provided with a cut-out tab formation for locking engagement with the adjacent side edges of the opposed flap to prevent movement of the flaps laterally of each other.

5. In a paperboard containercharacterizedby a pairof oppositely disposed flaps which are adapted to be folded with their end portions in overlapping relation, said end portions being defined by side edges converging toward each other and terminating in end tab formations; said end portions having opposite side edges cut out adjacent the tab formations defining outwardly.

opening generally V-shaped slots whereby said flaps may be interengaged to prevent movement away from each other in one direction and a cutout tongue formation in the inner edges defining said V-shaped slots adapted to be sprung over into locking engagement with the adjacent side edge of the opposed flap to prevent movement of the flaps laterally of each other.

LA VERN COLLINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,415 Davidson July 10, 1923 1,760,106 Beach May 27, 1930 

